Sharpener for slicing machine knives



y 1933. B. G. ROETERING 1,907,585

SHARPENER FOR SLICING MACHINE KNIVES Filed Nov. 14, 1927 y @mQZ ZZ Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT r es BERNARDUS G. ROE'IERING, F ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNOR TO 'U. S. SLIGING MACHINE COMPANY, OF LA FORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA SHARPENER FOR SLIGENG MACHINE KNIVES Application filed November 14, 1927, Serial No. 232,996, and in Great Britain December 17,1926.

This invention relates to devices for sharpening the rotary knives of slicing machines.

Usually, such devices each include two grinding elements which are adapted to contact with opposite sides of the edge of the knife, the grinding elements being urged toward the knife by means of springs. in certain constructions, the grinding elements;

can be withdrawn clear of the knife, against the action of the springs, by means of a.

lever. t is desirable that the grinding elements should be locked automatically when thus withdrawn but the means heretofore proposed for achieving this desideratum have been somewhat complex.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and cheap arrangement by means of which the grinding elements can be moved into and out of operative position.

In accordance with this invention, a tumbler lever is acted upon by a hand lever in such manner as to move it into one or the other of two positions in order, either, to permit the grinding elements, under the spring action, to move into their operative positions in contact with the knife, or to withdraw them, against the spring action,

away from the knife into their inoperative positions. Preferably, the levers are so contrived that the grinding elements, when moved into their inoperative positions, are automatically locked therein.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations at right angles to one another of a sharpening device constructed according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 3 and 4 are corresponding plan views showing the grinding elements in operative and in inoperative positions.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a modification.

Referring to the drawing, the device for sharpening the rotary knife 1 comprises grinders 2 and 3, the spindles 2, 3 of which are journaled in sleeves 2, 3 mounted in in 'known'construction and operation and has been chosen merely by way of. example. The grinders may be of any well knownconstruction and may be rotatably and slidably mounted in any suitable manner.

A tumbler lever 4 is fulcrumed at 8 on a structure of which the casings 2 3 are parts. The tumbler 4 is formed with three arms 4, 4 and 4, of which the arms 4 4 cooperate respectively with the studs 223, while the arm 4 cooperates with. a hand lever B, fulcrumed at 7 on the structure aforesaid.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the hand-lever 6 is formedwith a substantiallyright-angled notch 10, into which the arm 4 is adaptedto fit, and with a slightly concave surface 9, for engagement by a conformably shaped part of the arm V .7

In the operative position of the grinders 2, 3, as shown in Fig. 3, the arm 4 is engaged in the notch 10,'and the arms 4 4 are clear of the studs 2 3, so that the grinders are urged against the knife by their respective springs 2, 3. By moving the hand-lever 6 clockwise'into the position shown in Fig.

4, the tubular 4 is displaced into a position in which the surface 9 engages the arm 4, so and the arms 4*, 4 engage with and displace thestuds 2 3 whereby the grinders 2, 3 are moved away from the knife intotheir inoperative positions. 1

The respective shapes of the arm 4, sure face 9 and notch 10 are suchthat thetumbler 4 is automatically locked when moved into either the operative or inoperative position.

V In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the arm 4 is formed with a slot 4 engaged by 1 a pin 6 on the hand-lever 6. The slot 42 may have a set-back portion l at one end thereof. The operation of the device is similar to that of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The tumbler 4 is locked in the operative position (shown in full lines) against clockwise movement by the pin 6 engaging one end of the slot 4, and against counterclockwise movement .by the force of the 10 springs urging the grinders toward the knife,

and is locked in the inoperative position (indicated in dotted lines) by the pin 6 engaging the other end of the slot, combined with the force of the springs acting, through the studs 2 3 on the tumbler l. It should be noted that the handlever 6 occupies a position slightly beyond its dead-centre with respect to the arm a, when the grinders are fully withdrawn.

It should be understood that both in the form shown in Figs. 1 to a, inclusive, and in the form shown in Fig. 5, the movements of the grinders toward the knife are limited by the interlocking mechanism associated with the arm 4. In the form shown in Fig. 3, the springs 2 and 3 act on the pins 2 and 3 to move the arms 4t and 4 in a clockwise direction and the arm 4 by engaging the right-angled notch 10 locks the tumbler 4 against any movement beyond a predetermined limit. That is to say, when the lever 6 is in the position shown in Fig. 3 the notch 10 and the pivot 7 look the tumbler 4: against a clockwise movement beyond a predetermined limit. In the same manner, when. the lever 6 is in its full line position shown in Fig. 5 the pin 6 at the bottom of the slot llimits the clockwise movement of the tumbler l beyond a predetermined limit. Therefore the apparatus may be so adjusted that the'springs 2 and 3 may act to press the grindersagainst the edges of the knife 1 to sharpen the same, but if there are any comparatively soft port-ions on the knife edges they would not be ground away to any greater extent than what would be permitted by the tumbler arms 4 and t". The locking of the tumbler arms against movement beyond a predetermined limit in a clockwise direction will therefore assure even and uniform grinding of the knife edges.

It will be apparent that many modifications of the constructions chosen for illustration of the invention could bemade with out departing from its scope.

I claim I 1. A sharpener for slicing machine knives comprising arpair of grinders, springs for moving said grinders into contact with said knives to be sharpened, a double-armed lever for retracting said grinders, said doublearmed lever having a cam projection thereon, and an operating lever having a portion for engaging said projection to move said double-armed lever to'its retracted position and for preventing said double-armed lever from moving beyond predetermined limits when said operating lever is in released position to prevent said grinders from moving in the direction of the knife beyond predetermined limits.

2. A sharpener for slicing machine knives comprising a pair of grinders, springs for moving said grinders into contact with the knife to be sharpened, a double-armed lever pivoted intermediate the ends thereof between said grinders, said double-armed lever,

lever beyond a predetermined limit and 3 thereby prevent movementrof the grinders toward the knife beyond predetermined limits.

A sharpener for a slicing machine knife comprising a pair of grinders, springs connected to said grinders tomove the same in opposite directions into engagement with the knife to be sharpened, a lever for mov ing said grinders away from said knife against the force of said springs, an operating lever, and connections betweensaid levers comprising a detent on the operating lever and an arm on said first-named lever engaged by said detent to retain said grind ers in their retracted positions.

l. Asharpener for slicing machine knives comprising a pair of grinders, springs. connected to said grinders to move the same into contact with the knife to be sharpened, a. double-armed lever for retracting said grinders, a cam projecting from said lever, an operat'ng. lever, and detent on said operating lever in position to engage said cam to hold the double-armed lever in retracted position when said operating lever is released.

5. A sharpener for slicing machinetknives comprising a pair of gr i'iders, springs connected thereto to move the same into contact with the knife to be sharpened, a double-armed lever pivoted between said grinders and intermediate theends of said lever, a cam projecting from said doublearmed 'lever, an operating lever, means on said operating lever affording a recess for receiving said cam to freesaid springs to to move said grinders into engagement with the knife, and means on said operating lever in. position to engage said cam to operate said double-armed lever to retract said grinders and hold the grinders in retracted position after said operating lever is released.

6. A sharpener for slicing machine knives comprising a pair of grinders, springs connected thereto to move the same into con tact with the knife to be sharpened, a tumbler lever connected to said grinders to retract the same against the action of said springs, an arm extending from said tumbler lever, an operating lever, and a pin and slot connection between said operating lever and said arm to effect movement of said grinders to retracted position and the holding of the same in retracted position when said operating lever is actuated and released.

7. In a sharpening apparatus for slicing machine knives, the combination with a pair of sharpening elements, means for yieldingly moving said sharpening elements in opposite directions toward the knife to be sharpened, a pivoted lever engaging means associated with each of said sharpening elements, and means for rocking said lever to move said sharpening elements in a direction against the action of said yielding means, comprising a pivoted actuating lever having a recess therein, a projection on said first mentioned lever adapted to enter said recess when said actuating lever is in one position to limit the movement of said first mentioned lever about its pivot and thereby limit the positions to which the sharpening elements may be moved under the action of said yielding means, and an operating projection on said actuating lever for engaging said projection on said first mentioned lever to rock said first mentioned lever when said actuating lever is moved about its pivot to thereby retract the sharpening elements against the action of said yielding means, said actuating lever being movable into a position to automatically lock said sharpening elements in their retracted position, the locking being accomplished by means of said projection on said first mentioned lever and a cooperating surface on said actuating lever.

8. In a sharpening apparatus for slicing machine knives, the combination with a sharpening element yieldingly urged in a direction toward the knife to be sharpened, a projection carried by said sharpening element, a pivoted lever having a portion thereof engaging said projection, a nose portion on said lever, a second pivoted lever having a recess therein into which said nose projects when said second pivoted lever is in one position of adjustment to permit said first lever to rock to a limited, extent about its pivot under the influence of the yield ing means which urges said sharpening element toward said knife, but limiting the movement of said lever due to the engagement of said nose with the bottom of said recess, the edge of said recess on said second mentioned lever forming a projection adapted to engage said nose to rock said first mentioned lever against the action of said yielding means to retract said sharpening element when said second mentioned lever is moved about its pivot.

9. In a sharpening apparatus for slicing machine knives, the combination with a sharpening element yieldingly urged in a direction toward the knife to be sharpened, a projection carried by said sharpening element, a pivoted lever having a portion thereof engaging said projection, a nose portion on said lever, a second pivoted lever having a recess therein into which said nose projects when said second pivoted lever is in one position of adjustment to permit said first lever to rock to a limited extent about its pivot under the influence of the yielding means which urges said sharpening element toward said knife, but limiting the movement of said lever due to the engagement of said nose with the bottom of said recess, the edge of said recess on said second mentioned lever forming a projection adapted to engage said nose to rock said first mentioned lever against the action of said yielding means to retract said sharpening element when said second mentioned lever is moved about its pivot, said second mentioned lever automatically locking said first mentioned lever in retracted position by the engage ment of said nose with a cooperating portion on said second lever.

10. In a sharpening apparatus for slicing machine knives, the combination with a sharpening element, a yielding means for urging said sharpening element toward sharpening position, an arm for retracting said sharpening element against the action of said spring and having an operative connection with said sharpening element, an extension on said arm, a movable element for actuating said arm and having a pin and slot connection with said extension, said 7 pin and slot connection being such as to automatically lock said arm in different positions of adjustment to which the same is moved by said movable member, said movable member being movable to one position to actuate said arm to retract said sharpening element from its sharpening position against the action of said yielding means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 28th day of October A. D. 1927.

BERNARDUS G. ROE'IERING. 

